I recently published a post about what I consider to be the 5 things about working as an exotic dancer. You can find that post here. This is my follow up post which looks at 5 of the worst parts about working in this industry. Whenever anyone is trying to choose a career or job they often have to weigh the pros and cons of the work they will be involved with. Hopefully these posts give some incite into the pros and cons of stripping.

Below are what I consider to be the 5 worst things about working as an exotic dancer:

1. I always have to appear as if I’m happy and having fun

In an industry that relies on customer satisfaction and tips, having a pleasant demeanor and a smile is a necessity. Even with the fact that 99% of the customers are consuming alcohol and some are even drunk, no one wants to sit down with a girl who is passed off or in a bitchy mood. A lot of customers come in because they have their own personal problems and they want to forget about it for a while and have some fun. A good dancer knows how to keep a smile on her face the matter what her mood because ultimately if she could get the client in a good mood he is more willing to spend money on her.

2. Customers assume I’m a slut, whore, or prostitute

Some guys just don’t understand that when they come into strip club. Not walking into a whore house. They’ve come to be entertained by pretty girls on stage dancing weather the global bar where there is no nudity or fully nude strip club, it is all ultimately a giant keys. Some guys thinks it’s okay to touch me inappropriately or request sexual favors. Of course there are some girls who do work in this industry who do sell sexual services and use the quotes to find clients, but the majority of girls don’t engage in this kind of activity, at least the ones I’ve worked with.

3. Creeps, stalkers, and creeps

Can I say it again, creeps and stalkers! This part of the job can actually get frightening. I have heard horror stories from other girls who had guys call them home finder with a with and harass them. Since we have all kinds of individuals come into the club you see the full spectrum of personalities as well as personality disorders. As a dancer you always have to be on the lookout for signs that someone is a nut job. I’ve had my share of obsessive customers, but nothing ever to the point where I feared for my life. But I do always look over my shoulder, and most of the girls keep an eye out what each other know when a customer seems like they may be crazy. We also have security in the club that will take care of any person that gets out of line.

4. People assume I’m stupid

You can find all different kinds of women working at a strip club. I have met girls who were drug addicts and I have met girls who had masters degrees in business. For some reason not only do customers seem to assume that we are all prostitutes and sluts, but that we are all stupid. I find this particular stereotype very amusing, especially given the fact that these guys that come into the club with with their entire paycheck and gladly hand the entire amount over to me just to look at my nipples. If this is any measure of intelligence/stupidity I’ll let you decide who falls into what category in the situation.

5. Germs!

A strip club is not the cleanest place in the world. The fact that most of the dancers are wearing very little clothing means that they’re coming into contact with all kinds of surfaces that have probably not been adequately cleaned a long time. This consider the fact that when the dancers onstage she’s working hard and is probably sweating. The polls on the stage get covered in sweat from all the different girls who grinding and dancing on them. This is kind of gross, which is why I always spray down the pole with disinfectant before I dance. I also always have hand sanitizer as well. Even when sitting and talking to clients around the bar, is sitting in seats on basically your bare ass. Who knows when the last of the seats were cleaned. Also you getting rather close to strange men who could have all different kinds of sicknesses from cold and lose to God knows what. I keep myself healthy by exercising and taking lots of vitamins, but when there is sickness going around it’s hard to avoid. The best advice is if you feeling rundown take off until you feel better so that you don’t risk contracting the latest cold/flu that’s making the rounds.

There are definitely many pros and cons when it comes to working as an exotic dancer.

Check out my top 5 worst reasons for working as an exotic dancer here.

Below is my list of the 5 best reasons I work in this industry.

1. You just cant make this kind of money working in McDonald’s

What other job can you make $1000 cash in one night? This of course is the bottom line of why I do this, the money just can’t be beat. Of course I don’t always make $1000 a night, I usually take home anywhere from $300-$600 a night. Before I started dancing I worked in the service industry making basically minimum-wage. The hours were long the work was arduous, and at the end of the day I had very little to show for it.

2. I get to make my own schedule

Another added benefit of working in this industry is the fact that I basically can work when I want. If I want to take off for two months in order to concentrate on my studies or travel, I have the freedom to do that. Of course everyplace you work has different rules, but you definitely have more leeway than you would in a regular 9-to-5 job.

3. It’s a good workout

I like to consider myself someone who takes good care of themselves. I go to the gym several times a week do a decent amount of cardio and some light weights. What most people don’t realize is dancing expends a lot of energy. Being up on the stage for hours every night can leave me with sore muscles the next day. I always break a sweat while I’m dancing in my heart rate is a was elevated. It’s definitely a good cardio workout, and supplements my time in the gym.

4. I get to show off my body

this may sound very egocentric, but I like to show off my body. When I was younger was very self-conscious of how I looked in even avoided going to the beach because I didn’t like people looking at me. Now, as a result of dancing I have a lot of self-confidence and proud to show off my body. I work hard to keep myself in shape so there’s no reason why I should hide it.

5. I’ve become a seasoned diplomat

This is an aspect of the job that most people don’t think of when they think of strippers. Of course I spend time on the stage dancing, but the majority of my time is spent mingling with the customers. When I first started doing this I was very shy and uncomfortable when I approached anybody. I wasn’t quite sure what to say nor was I confident in my English. But after doing it for a while you become much more comfortable talking to complete strangers. I’ve met all different kinds of people with all different types of personalities. At this point I could hold a conversation with just about anybody on just about any subject. I think this is an underrated skill that you gain from working in this industry that is easily transferable to many other careers.

I’ve had friends ask me why I would spend my time pursuing a career as a physical therapist, since I make so much money working as an exotic dancer. Yes it’s true that I have a very healthy income as a result of my current profession, but anyone would be hard-pressed to call this a career.

Dancing is definitely a job as opposed to a career. Now granted it’s a really really good job where you can make very good money and have a good amount of freedom to pursue other things. There are of course pros and cons of the job which I’ve addressed in previous posts.

The way I see it is that dancing is something that I use as a tool to provide me with the means to achieve my longer-term goals. It’s true, I do make more money right now is a dancer than I would in any other career that I can choose to pursue, but it was not my lifelong dream as a child to grow up to be a stripper. I don’t get a great amount of internal satisfaction doing this job, but having a background in dance, I’ve always been fascinated with the human body.

This is the main reason that I wanted to one day become a physical therapist. Some people think this is crazy when they look at me thinking how I dance on stage for money, but the truth is there are many intelligent girls who work as dancers that are paying their way through school and this is exactly what I’m doing. Some girls spend their money on expensive purses and shoes or vacations, I’m investing in my future!

As far as dancing goes, you have a limited shelf life. Yes you find women who are working in their late 30s or 40s still making money, but most men want younger girls and this means that time is not on your side. The endless flow of cash will dry up in direct relation to your body.

I’ve been able to bring in a six-figure salary without even working a full-time schedule. But as I’ve pointed out this is not something I would like to be doing long-term, pursuing a more stable career is my long-term goal. It’s not like physical therapists don’t make good money. The average salary for a physical therapist is $82,180 a year. That’s just the average which means that of course you can make slightly less but if you’re motivated and work hard you could make more than that. The Career Trove is a good resource if your currently looking for information about starting a new career.

I think the part of being a physical therapist that attracts me the most is that you are doing something that is directly helping someone. You get to develop relationships with your patients and hopefully see them progress towards health. I can not think of a more rewarding career. Also, as I mentioned, I have always been fascinated with the mechanics of the human body, which I’m sure was further encouraged my my formal dance training.

For those who are not familiar with what a physical therapist does, this YouTube video gives some good information about what its all about.

There’s definitely a lot of schooling involved in pursuing a degree in physical therapy and I have a while to go before I finish my Masters and pass my certification exams. I think the important point that anyone should take away from all my ramblings is that it is important to have bigger and longer term goals in your life and to not be satisfied with your current situation unless it meets your desires and expectations. Also, one of the most important lessons to learn in life: NEVER BE AFRAID TO FAIL!